Thread twisting machine



y 1958 KATSUJI NISHIMURA 2,834,179

THREAD TWISTING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 28, 1953 y 1958KATSUJI NISHIMURA 2,834,179

THREAD TWISTING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 28, 1953 May 13,1958 Filed April 28, 1953 KATSUJI NISHIMURA THREAD TWISTING MACHINE 4SheetsSheet 3 y 3, 195s KATSUJI NISHIMURA 2,834,179

THREAD TWISTING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

THREAD TWISTING MACHINE Katsuji Nishimura, Simatla City, Shizuoka Ken,Japan Application April 28, 1953, Serial No. 351,707 11 Claims. (CI.57-59) This invention relates to improvements in thread formingapparatus and is directed more particularly to improvements in threadtwisting machines. 7

Heretofore in thread twisting machines there is a practice to have thethread guide means designed in the shape of a fork and rotated in theopen air. Accordingly, the resistance of the air and the vibration ofthe thread guide means at high speeds make it very difiicult to obtain atwisted thread of uniform quality. Moreover, the excessive resistance athigh speeds tended to break the thread thus greatly reducing the speedsat which the machine can be operated and the output quantity thereof isaccordingly reduced.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved thread twistingmachine operable at high sp'eedsyet delivering a twisted thread of auniform quality.

Another object is to provide a machine operable at high speeds whereinthe thread being twisted is not subjected to excessive air resistanceand oscillations of the members performing the twisting so as to bebroken thereby.

Still another object is to provide a simple and inexpensive threadtwisting machine improvement greatly enhancing the output of the machineand improving the yield and efiiciency thereof.

Another object is to provide a uniformly tensioning device providingcontinuous indications to the operator as to the thread tension.

A feature of the machine in accordance with the invention is that it hasthe various elements or members completely enclosed in a stationaryhousing so that none of the elements are rotated out in the open so asto subject the thread to excessive air resistance.

Still another feature is that the machine is stopped automatically whenthe thread is parted or broken or when it is completely expended.

' Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will beunderstood from the following description and claims in conjunction withthe accompanying drawings which illustrate by way of example preferredembodiments of the invention and in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation view partly in section of a thread twistingmachine in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevaton view of a guiding means for the twisted threadas it leaves the machine shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the invention showing parts notshown in Fig. 1 and a modification of the driving means in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the machine shown in Fig. 3 with the covershown with a portion broken away so as to show details beneath.

Fig. 5 is a partial front elevation view of the operating mechanism ofthe thread twisting machine shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary front elevation view 2,834,179Patentedlviay 13, 1958 of a detail of the operating mechanism of thethread twisting machine shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a sectional side view of a detail of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged side view of a guide pulley in the thread twistingmachine shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 9 is a plan view partly in section of the pulley shown in Fig. 8.The embodiments of the machine as shown in Figs. 1 to 9 have astationary housing 6 fixed on the machine by a base 1 and covered by acover 2'with a rotatable spindle 4 projecting inwardly of the housing 6.A bobbin 7 is supported on spindle 4 by resting on a shoulder formedthereon. The bobbin 7 is held in frictional engagement with the shoulder35 by a member 10 integral with a shaft 10 rotatable on bearings 49,housed in sleeves 48 which are movable in a longitudinal direction. Apressure applying shaft 11 provided with a point contact 12 bearing onsleeve or housing 48 urges the bobbin into frictional engagement bymeans of a mechanism for varying the frictional engagement of the bobbin7 with spindle 4 to be later herein described.

The bobbin 7 charged with untwisted thread 38 is enclosed by asubstantially circular member 9 rotatable on bearings 3 and fixed tospindle 4 so as to be rotatable therewith. The member 9 is provided withthread guides 8 guiding thread 38 having a plurality of untwistedstrands or filaments to be twisted by the machine in a manner to belater described. The spindle 4 is provided with a thread entry 40leading to a hollow portion of the spindle and is fixed to an airturbine 5 housed in a turbine housing 33. The turbine or turbine wheel 5receives air from an air supply (not shown) through a valve 72 and inlet51 so that the'air enters the turbine housing in a direction for turningthe turbine wheel 5 and is expelled through outlet 52. The spindle 4 isprovided at the end opposite the bobbin with a worm screw 53 engaging agear 54 mounted on shaft 56. .The shaft 56 carries a bevel gear engaginganother bevel gear 55' substantially at 90 thereto. The gear 55 isintegral with a shaft 57 rotatably mounted on a support member 58. Theshaft 57 is provided with a pinwheel 59 movable along the longitudinalaxis of the shaft 7 (Figs. 2, 8 and 9) and held in fixed relationshipwith shaft 57 by means of a set screw 59 so as to be rotatabletherewith. Immediately adjacent and in engagement with pinwheel 59 ispositioned a wheel 60 having perforations thereon. The perforations 65are positioned in wheel 60 asconcentric circles as shown. Thus it canreadily be seen that the speed of perforated wheel 60 is a function ofthe position of pinwheel 59 and the speed of shaft 57. The speed of thewheel 60 can be reduced by moving the pinwheel 59 into engagement withthe perforations or holes of wheel 60 which form the circles of greaterdiameter thereon. Thus the slowest speed is obtained when the pinwheel59 cooperates with the perforations forming the outermost circleadjacent the periphery of wheel 60. Alternatively the speed of wheel 60is increased by moving the pinwheel 59 into engagement with the-holescomprising the circles of lesser diameter adjacent the center of wheel66. Accordingly, it can be seen that the range of speed variations canbe great depending upon the design of wheel 60 and the number of circlesof perforations thereon. Adjacent wheel 60 (Fig. 2) is positioned athread guiding pulley 63 rotatably mounted on member 58 and adjustablerelative to the wheel 60 and member 58 by means of a set-screw 62. Thetwisted thread comprises the formerly untwisted thread 38 which istwisted while being pulled out from the lower end of the rotatingspindle! because of the design of entry 40 and passes around the guidingpulley 63 under the action of a pressing roller 64 in constantengagement with pulley 63 rotating it in a direction to urge the thread70 to be drawn through the twisting spindle 4. The twisted thread 70 iswound on a takeup reel 66 provided with a flange 67 in frictionalengagement with a driving wheel 68. The reel 66 is continuously rotatedat a speed proportionate to the speed of wheel 60.. Accordingly, thereel 66 functions with a minimum of slippage between it and drivingwheel 68 with slippage being incurred only lwhen the quantity of twistedthread on the reel becomes arge.

The twisting machine is provided with a thread tensioning devicecomprising an L-shaped lever 27 pivoted on a pivot 28 and provided witha V-shaped roller in engagement with thread 79. The lever 27 carries aweight 30 movable along the lever so as to permit adjustment of thelength of the weight arm thereby determining the eiiective pressure bywhich roller 29 bears against thread 70. The tension on thread 7i) iscontinuously indicated by meter 71 cooperating with lever 27 by means ofa connecting rod 32.

The machine is provided with adjustable means or a mechanism for dampingoscillations of the bobbin 7 when rotated at high speeds by spindle 4.The same means acting as damping means also acts as a frictional brakein stopping the rotation of the bobbin 7 when the thread 70 is parted orbroken or completely expended from bobbin 7. The mechanism comprises aspring 14 hearing against shaft 11 to apply pressure on member andcarried by a lever 15 pivotally mounted at 39 on a bracket 34 integralwith the cover 2. The lever 15 is provided with a bent portion 13 havingone end resting on a V-shaped member 16 carried by a tubular member 16*movable longitudinally by a rod 17 (Figs. 1 and 6). The rod 17 is movedlongitudinally or upward and downwardly by a handle 18 pivoted at apivot 19 held in adjusted position by engaging a serrated member 29fixed on a stationary portion 5% of the machine. The serrated rod 20 isprovided with serrations 20' engaged by a locking pin 21 having a bentportion 21' which can be pulled by the operator compressing a spring 21"permitting disengagement with the serrations and once the desiredfrictional engagement between bobbin 7 and shoulder 35 of spindle 4 hasbeen established by adjusting handle 18 the pin 21 is released thusengaging serrations 201 and holding handle 18 in a set position.

The machine is provided with a mechanism for automatically stoppingrotation of the spindle 4 and bobbin 7 when the thread 70 is eitherbroken or completely expended. The automatic stop-mec..anism comprises ahandle 22 pivotally mounted at pivot 81 and having a bent portion 22pivotally connected at 82 to levers 46 (Figs. 1, 6 and 7). The levers 46are connected to a collar or member 47 slidable on rod 17 so as tocompress a spring 23, surrounding a portion of rod 17 and resting on aflange 17, when rod 22 is lifted upwardly so as to place the automaticstop-mechanism in readiness for operation. The handle 22 is held in araised position so as to keep the stop-mechanism in readiness by meansof a lever 25 pivoted at 83 and having a bent portion 26 engageable witha recess formed by a hook portion 24 of handle 22. The lever 25 is ofsuch a length so as to extend downwardly to cooperate with a hook 31carried by lever 27 and cooperating therewith in a manner to be laterherein described. The machine is further provided with an L-shaped lever75 pivoted at pivot 19 and having a bent portion 8i lying in the path ofhandle 22 when it moves downwardly. The lever 75 has a portion 75pivotally connected to a lever 7 6 which is in turn pivotally connectedto a lever 77 pivotally mounted at pivot 73. The lever 77 is providedwith a bent portion 79 (Fig. 5) engaging the underside of a valveoperating handle 73 used for opening and closing valve 72 controllingthe air inlet to turbine wheel 5. The valve or cock handle 73 isconstantly urged down- 4 wardly by a spring 74 connected at one end tothe handle 73 and at the other end to the serrated rod 20. Thus it canbe seen that the handle is constantly biased into a closing position.

The operation of the automatic-stop-mechanism is as follows: when thethread is either broken or is completely expended, the weight 30 urgeslever 27 into a clockwise rotation whereby hook 31 engages the lower endportion of lever 25 and rotates in a counterclockwise directionreleasing the bent portion 26' from engagement with hook 24. Sincespring 23 is in a compressed condition when the handle 22 is initiallymoved upward to ready the stop mechanism for automatic operation therelease of hook 24 permits the spring 23 to urge collar 47 upwardly thusmoving handle 22 downwardly so as to engage the bent portion 80 of lever75. Lever is rotated in a clockwise direction thus rotating lever 77 ina counterclockwise direction so as to move bent portion 79 out ofengagement with handle 73. The spring 74 urges the handle 73 toward acounterclockwise rotation thereby closing valve or cock 72 so as to cutoff the air supply to the turbine. Simultaneously with the cutoff of theair supply a braking action is applied to the bobbin 7. This isaccomplished by the upward movement of member 47 when urged upwardly byspring 23. The member of collar 47 engages the tubular member 16 urgingit upwardly so as to move lever 15 downwardly to bear against shaft orpin 11 thereby increasing the pressure of member 10 against the bobbinso as to increase the frictional engagement between the bobbin and shaft4 thus tending to stop both the bobbin 7 and the shaft or spindle 4. Ofcourse, the handles can be actuated to stop the mechanism manually.

For purposes of simplicity, the embodiment shown in Fig. 1 does notdisclose the manner in which the casing or housing 6 is opened so as toinsert a loaded bobbin 7 in charging the machine. However, referrring toFig. 3, it can be seen that the machine may be provided with a cover 2pivotally mounted at pivot 45. While in operation the cover is kept in aclosed position by a pivotally mounted bolt 43 (Figs. 3 and 4). Thecover 2 is provided with a boss 42 carrying a lever 41 pivotally mountedat pivot 42' engaging annular recesses 36 formed on the bearing housingor sleeves 48. The machine is provided with an oil drip pan carried bymember, thus protecting the thread on bobbin 7 from oil that might dripfrom bearings 49, and sleeves 48. When it is desired to insert a newloaded bobbin into the machine a wing nut 43' is backed off enough topermit swinging the pivotally mounted bolt 43 outwardly unlocking thecover 2. The handle 41 is then depressed downwardly thus urging theshaft 10' upwardly so as to lift member 10 clear of spindle 4. Theentire cover and associated members is then moved upwardly by means of ahandle 44 pivoting on pivot 45 and resting as shown in phantom.

The modification in Fig. 3 is provided with a pulley 61 replacing theturbine of Fig. l as driving means for the spindle 4. The pulley 61 maybe belt driven by a motor (not shown).

While preferred embodiments of the invention have been illustrated anddescribed, it will be understood that the invention is in no way limitedto these embodiments and that many changes may be made within the spiritand scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.

What I claim is: p

1. In a thread twisting machine in combination a bobbin having anunwound thread comprising a plurality of strands thereon, a drivenspindle supporting the bobbin and frictionally rotating the bobbin, acylindrical member substantially surrounding the bobbin and being r0tated by said spindle, adjustable resilient means for biasing the bobbininto frictional engagement with said spindle, a stationary closed membersubstantially enclosing said cylindrical member and bobbin, said spindlehaving a hollow portion communicating with a thread entry portion toreceive the unwound thread from the bobbin, said thread entry portionbeing adapted to twist the thread when said spindle is driven and thethreads are pulled therethrough, driving means for driving the spindle.

2. In a thread twisting machine according to claim 1, including anautomatic stop-motion mechanism for automatically stopping the meansdriving the spindle when said thread is broken or completely unwoundfrom the bobbin.

3. In a thread twisting machine according to claim 2, in which saidstop-motion mechanism comprises a thread tensioning device and saidthread tensioning device actuates said stop-motion mechanism.

4. In a thread twisting machine according to claim 1, including manualmeans for stopping said means for driving the spindle.

5. In a thread twisting machine according to claim 1, including meansfor pulling the thread through the hollow portion of the spindle and ameter for continuously indicating the tension on the twisted thread.

6. In a thread twisting machine according to claim 1, including a threadguiding pulley and a gear mechanism operatively connecting the guidingpulley to said spindle.

7. In a thread twisting machine in combination a thread carryingrotatable member for carrying untwisted filaments of thread thereon, adrive spindle supporting and frictionally rotating the thread carryingmember,

thread guide means substantially surrounding the thread carrying meansand rotatable by said spindle, means substantially enclosing the threadguide means and the thread carrying member, means controlling thefrictional engagement betwen said thread carrying member and thespindle, said spindle having a hollow portion and a thread entry theretofor twisting the untwisted thread when pulled through the thread guidemeans, the entry and the hollow portion of the spindle, means fordriving the spindle, means for pulling the thread through the spindle atpredetermined speeds, said last mentioned means including a guide pulleyoperatively associated with the spindle, said pulley being provided withmeans for varying the rate at which said thread is pulled through thespindle.

8. In a thread twisting machine according to claim 7, in which saidmeans controlling the frictional engagement between the thread carryingmeans and the spindle includes a leaf spring for damping oscillationsbetween the thread carrying member and the spindle.

9. In a thread twisting machine according to claim 7, including meansfor tensioning the twisted thread and continuously indicating thetension thereon.

10. In a thread twisting machine according to claim 7, further includingautomatic means for stopping the machine as a function of the absence ofany thread for tensioning by said means for tensioning the thread.

11. In a thread twisting machine according to claim 7, including meansfor automatically stopping said means for driving the spindle when saidthread breaks or is expended from the thread carrying member, and saidmeans controlling the frictional engagement between the thread carryingmember and the spindle progressively brakes the thread carrying memberwhen said means for automatically stopping the means for driving thespindle is actuated.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,011,481 Getchell Aug. 13, 1935 FOREIGN PATENTS 365,279 Great BritainJan. 21, 1932 589,575 France Feb. 25, 1924 601,637 Germany Aug. 21, 1934687,964 France May 5, 1930

